“Well I thought you…” Finn began but let his voice trail off as he noticed her expression growing even more indignant.
“He is large for his age, Milord. I believe Jala’s magic is still at work upon him. At his age he should be half that size,” Seth broke in smoothly.
“You know about children?” Finn asked in disbelief, his gaze returning to Seth.
“He should. He is here because of one,” Fiona said with a smirk and for the first time since he had met the man he saw all humor drain from the Assassin’s face.
“I’m not here because of the child, Fiona,” Seth said softly in a voice that seemed far more dangerous than any battle cry Finn had ever heard. He raised a hand and rubbed at his face then looked back to Finn. “I had a child once. If you have questions, Milord, better to direct them to me than to the harpy.”
Finn nodded slowly, his eyes watching the Assassin. “What happened?” he asked after a long moment.
“Someone used the child against me just as they would have done to your wife, Milord. To love something is to present weapons to your enemies. They will use the love to kill you,” Seth explained with a shrug and pushed off the pillar. “I will be back for the child this evening, Milord. Enjoy your time with him.” With a flick of his wrist he tossed a bag down at the base of the throne and pointed at it. “Your clothing and a flask of goats milk should the child become hungry. It’s a decent substitute for commoner children, but for your son it will do little more than fill his stomach. He is pureblood. He requires more to sustain him,” With a final nod, the Assassin turned and strode from the room without a single glance back.
Finn watched him go in silence and looked to Fiona as the doors closed behind him. “Why did you goad him?” he asked quietly.
“Because I knew it would make him leave. It’s a sore spot for him,” Fiona explained calmly and looked down at the child with a faint hint of disapproval in her eyes. “You have no time for this, Finn. You have to let go of that life and this isn’t helping at all. This is not your son any longer.”
“I think it’s time we set a few things straight, Fiona.” Finn spoke quietly, a faint smile playing across his lips as he watched his son tracing the intricate details of the chair arm with his pudgy little fingers. Slowly, Finn looked up and the smile faded from his lips as he locked eyes with his mentor. “First, this will always be my son,” he said softly. “Second, I will never let go of my former life. I will always try to protect those I care for in the Sunlit world.”
Fiona started to interrupt him, but he raised his voice and continued, his eyes still holding hers. “Third, you work for me, Fiona and I don’t care what you believe the rules are. I make the rules now. I am Death. You are dead. Do you see the difference? I will do this job, but I will do it the way I see fit. You have taught me and for that I put up with your complaints, but I will not be your puppet. Are we clear?”
“You are forbidden to use your power to alter the Sunlit world directly. The most you may do is spare a life. I didn’t make those rules, Finn. They are part of the Immortal pact. If you break that pact you jeopardize all of the Divine as well as the Aspects. Do you think they will allow that? They will kill you Finn,” Fiona leaned down closer until their noses nearly touched as she spoke and slowly shook her head at him. “You solved everything in life by fighting, Finn, but this isn’t something you can fight. If you break the pact, you die. It is as simple as that.”
“This is still my son. I will never let go of my former life, and you work for me,” Finn repeated firmly without flinching from her words or the glare she cast him. “Leave me for now Fiona. I’m going to spend what time I have with Legacy. When Seth returns to take him back to the Sunlit world, we will continue the judging of souls. Until then, see that no one disturbs me.”
“You cannot ignore the dead in favor of the living,” Fiona objected, her voice nearly a snarl. “Would you have the Forgotten swell in numbers because you failed to do your duty for the dead?” she demanded.
“I would send every last soul waiting straight to Oblivion for just a taste of my former life. Do not push me, Fiona!” Finn snarled back, his voice taking on the coldness it always did before he killed. A soft whimper from his lap drew his attention back from the fight and his gaze softened as he saw the fear written on his son’s face. “Go, Fiona. I will not tell you again,” he said in a softer voice without bothering to look up at her again.
Smiling, he took the child’s hand carefully and made gentle hushing sounds. He could remember his mother using those noises with Sovann when they were small, and somehow just those simple noises seemed to always work like magic. “You look so much like your mother,” Finn whispered in a soothing voice as he listened to the angry footsteps of the knight as she left the room.
Legacy turned his small head and watched the retreat before turning once more to stare up at his father. Raising his hand up and down, he murmured and slapped lightly at the chair, his violet eyes fixating once more on the carved figures in the wood.
“I meant what I said, Legacy. I don’t know if you can understand fully what I say yet, but I meant it. I will always put you and your mother before all. The laws of the Divine be damned.” Finn spoke softly and smiled again as the child looked up at him with bright eyes and smiled back. He wasn’t sure if his son had truly understood or it was simply a coincidence, but it truly seemed as though the tiny fingers had tightened on his hand at the words.
Chapter 22
Kithvaryn